Cartoon Illustration: The Man Behind the Art of the History of Social Networking

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  • We’re constantly searching for ways to visually communicate the research we conduct. Recently, we recently commissioned an artist to create a History of Social Networking Timeline, featuring illustrations of social media sensations like Rebecca Black and Chalie Sheen. The series of panels paint the story of this great industry we’re helping to build.

    View all 24 panels on SlideShare:

    In celebration of the Advertising Research Foundation’s 75th Anniversary, we’ve released The History of Social Networking in honor of the tech and media researchers, content creators and early adopters that have helped to advance social media technology and research.

    We’d like to thank the artist, Adam Long, for his wonderful contribution to our Social Media Command Centers. His work on the timeline inspires us to continue making history in this incredible industry.

    The Man Behind the Art

    Imagine a 6ft 3in tall, stetson-fedora-clad Aussie strolling the streets of San Francisco, hunting for rare finds at the Alameda antique market and enjoying views of the Golden Gate bridge with a smile that never leaves his face. That’s Adam Long – the artist who created the beautiful artwork for our History of Social Media timeline.

    Having the life many artists dream of, Adam spends his time drawing cartoons, commercial illustrations and storyboards for TV commercials, while living a short five minutes from the sea in Bondi. When free from upcoming deadlines, the smiling Aussie describes sunny Bondi as the perfect place to relax, “where a freelance artist can nip down for a swim on a hot day.”

    Adam refers to his art as “lowbrow” and we’re enamored by his fun, cartoonish style. He has created artwork for us in other Social Media Command Centers and he’s our favorite illustration artist. When we presented him with the chance to visit San Francisco for the first time, he hopped on board to create a History of Social Networking Timeline. For him, it was “too good an opportunity to pass up” and before long, he was en route stateside accompanied by his favorite paints, fine hair brushes and a sense of excitement.

    From the moment Adam arrived, he put himself to work, completing the task of designing 24 separate pieces of art in less than one week. He was a source of inspiration and a delight to have around!

    The First Unveiling

    With much anticipation, Adam finished illustrating the timeline with ease and the art was ready for display at our launch party.

    Centered on the Collective Intelligence and celebrating a combination of ReSearch.ly, the release of 1,000 days of data, and the launch of our SF Command Center and incubator space, we are so happy it was such a huge success.

    Throughout the the evening, eyes were on the artwork displaying the timeline. Lucky for us, we had Adam at the party to show off - as he’s seen here, happily chatting with guests!

    We love the aesthetic of Adam’s work and it brightens the room, along with the colorful bike rack holding our beloved European-style bikes, from Public Bikes in South Park... it’s so fun riding these cool wheels around town!

    The Social Media Command Center in SoMa has truly become our home. An incubator space, social engagement hub, crisis management room, real-time response and product testing lab, event venue, and a place for our clients to experience our Platform and services.

    We’re delighted that Adam has agreed to continue illustrating the history of social media. Looking forward to having him back in San Francisco!

  • Jen Charlton

    About Jen Charlton

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